Thursday, 12 January 2017

SENATE REJECTS BAN ON IMPORTATION OF CARS THROUGH LAND BORDERS..SAYS 500,000 JOBS WILL BE LOST

The Senate has called for the reversal of the Federal Government’s policy banning the importation of cars through land borders.

The ban took effect from January 1, 2017.

According to the Senate, the ban will lead to a loss of 500,000 jobs.

The lawmakers, who heavily criticised the policy during the plenary on Wednesday, described the ban as anti-poor.
The issue was brought through a a motion titled, ‘The Ban on the
Importation of Vehicles Through the Land Borders into the Country’,
jointly moved by Senators Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Kabiru Gaya (Kano
South), Sabi Abdullahi (Niger North), Shehu Sani (Kadana Central) and
Ali Wakili (Bauchi South).

The lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected the
policy, while asking Nigeria Customs Service to immediately suspend
implementation of the policy. The Deputy President of the Senate,
Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, specifically urged
President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the cries of Nigerians and
reverse the policy. Ekweremadu said, “From the contributions made,
it is obvious that the policy is unpopular. We are representatives of
the people and the people have spoken through us that they do not want
this policy. I think those in government should listen to them.” The
Senate also directed its Committee on Customs and Excise to investigate
the circumstances that led to the sudden decision of the Federal
Government to place a ban on importation of vehicles through the land
borders. More lawmakers who took their turns to speak on the policy condemned it.